229 apply to be in LA medical marijuana lottery

LOS ANGELES 
More than 200 medical marijuana collectives have applied to be in a lottery that will select 100 legal dispensaries in Los Angeles.

The city clerk's office said Thursday that 229 collectives submitted forms by the Feb. 18 deadline.

The lottery is the city's latest attempt to lower the number of dispensaries and separate legal from illegal ones.

It's unclear when the lottery will be held. The clerk's office must first review the forms to determine whether the applicants meet the criteria to be included in the drawing.

The collectives must submit proof that they've been in business since Sept. 14, 2007 and have at least one of the same operators since that time. City officials said they believe that fewer than 135 collectives can meet the requirements.